Olympus E-M10 III vs Panasonic G2

The Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark III and the Panasonic Lumix DMC-G2 are two digital cameras that were officially introduced, respectively,
in August 2017 and March 2010. Both the E-M10 III and the G2 are mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras that are equipped with a Four Thirds sensor. The Olympus has a resolution of 15.9 megapixels, whereas the Panasonic provides 12 MP.

Below is an overview of the main specs of the two cameras as a starting point for the comparison.

Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark III and the
Panasonic Lumix DMC-G2? Which one should you buy? Read on to find out how these two cameras compare with respect to their body size, their imaging sensors, their shooting features, their input-output connections, and their reception by expert reviewers.

Body comparison

The physical size and weight of the Olympus E-M10 III and the Panasonic G2 are illustrated in the side-by-side display below. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three successive views from the front, the top, and the rear are shown. All width, height and depth measures are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

The E-M10 III can be obtained in two different colors (black, silver), while the G2 is
available in three color-versions (black, blue, red).

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size,
the Panasonic G2 is somewhat larger (2 percent) than the Olympus E-M10 III. Moreover, the G2 is slightly heavier (4 percent) than the E-M10 III. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the E-M10 III nor the G2 are weather-sealed.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete since they do not consider the interchangeable lenses
that both of these cameras require. In this particular case, both cameras feature the same lens mount, so that they can use the same lenses.
You can compare the optics available in the Micro Four Thirds Lens Catalog. Mirrorless cameras, such as the two under consideration, have the additional advantage of having a short flange to focal plane distance, which makes it possible to mount many lenses from other systems onto the camera via adapters.

The table below summarizes the key physical specs of the two cameras alongside a broader set of comparators. In case you want to display and compare another camera duo, just click on the right or left
arrow next to the camera that you would like to inspect. Alternatively, you can also use the CAM-parator to
select your camera combination among a larger number of options.

Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.

The price is, of course, an important factor in any camera decision. The retail prices at the time of the camera’s release place the model in the market relative to other models in the producer’s line-up and the competition. The G2 was somewhat cheaper (by 8 percent) than the E-M10 III at launch, but both cameras fall into the same price category. Normally, street prices remain initially close to the MSRP, but after a couple of months, the first discounts appear. Later in the product cycle and, in particular, when the replacement model is about to appear, further discounting and stock clearance sales often push the camera price considerably down.

Sensor comparison

The imaging sensor is at the core of digital cameras and its size is one of the main determining factors of image quality. All other things equal, a large sensor will have larger individual pixel-units that offer better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and richer color-depth than smaller pixels in a sensor of the same technological generation. Moreover, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more control over depth-of-field in the image and, thus, the ability to better isolate a subject from the background. On the downside, larger sensors tend to be associated with larger, more expensive camera bodies and lenses.

Both cameras under consideration feature a Four Thirds sensor and have a format factor
(sometimes also referred to as "crop factor") of 2.0. Within the spectrum of camera sensors, this places the review cameras among the medium-sized sensor cameras
that aim to strike a balance between image quality and portability. Both cameras feature a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 4:3.

While the two cameras under review share the same sensor size, the E-M10 III offers a higher
resolution of 15.9 megapixels, compared with 12 MP of the G2.
This megapixels advantage translates into a 15 percent gain in linear resolution.
On the other hand, these sensor specs imply that the E-M10 III has a higher pixel density and a smaller size of the individual pixel
(with a pixel pitch of 3.76μm versus 4.33μm for the G2). In this context, it should be noted, however, that the E-M10 III is much more recent (by 7 years and 5 months) than the G2, and its sensor
will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that compensate for the smaller pixel size. Coming back to sensor resolution, it should be mentioned that the E-M10 III has no anti-alias filter installed, so that it can capture all the detail its sensor resolves.

The Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark III has a native sensitivity range from ISO 200 to ISO 25600, which can be extended to ISO 100-25600.
The corresponding ISO settings for the Panasonic Lumix DMC-G2 are ISO 100 to ISO 6400 (no boost).

For many cameras, data on sensor performance has been reported by DXO Mark. This service determines an overall sensor rating, as well as sub-scores for low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and color depth ("DXO Portrait"). The table below summarizes the physical sensor characteristics and sensor quality findings and compares them across a set of similar cameras.

Sensor Characteristics

Camera Model

Sensor Class

Resolution (MP)

Horiz. Pixels

Vert. Pixels

Video Format

DXO Portrait

DXO Landscape

DXO Sports

DXO Overall

Camera Model

Olympus E-M10 III

Four Thirds

15.9

4608

3456

4K/30p

..

..

..

..

Olympus E-M10 III

Panasonic G2

Four Thirds

12.0

4000

3000

720/30p

21.2

10.3

493

53

Panasonic G2

Olympus E-PL10

Four Thirds

15.9

4608

3456

4K/30p

..

..

..

..

Olympus E-PL10

Olympus E-PL9

Four Thirds

15.9

4608

3456

4K/30p

..

..

..

..

Olympus E-PL9

Olympus E-PL8

Four Thirds

15.9

4608

3456

1080/30p

..

..

..

..

Olympus E-PL8

Olympus PEN-F

Four Thirds

20.2

5184

3888

1080/60p

23.1

12.4

894

74

Olympus PEN-F

Olympus E-M10 II

Four Thirds

15.9

4608

3456

1080/60p

23.1

12.5

842

73

Olympus E-M10 II

Olympus E-M10

Four Thirds

15.9

4608

3456

1080/30p

22.8

12.3

884

72

Olympus E-M10

Olympus E-PL7

Four Thirds

15.9

4608

3456

1080/30p

22.7

12.4

873

72

Olympus E-PL7

Olympus E-PL6

Four Thirds

15.9

4608

3456

1080/30p

..

..

..

..

Olympus E-PL6

Olympus E-PL5

Four Thirds

15.9

4608

3456

1080/30p

22.8

12.3

889

72

Olympus E-PL5

Panasonic GX85

Four Thirds

15.8

4592

3448

4K/30p

22.9

12.6

662

71

Panasonic GX85

Panasonic G3

Four Thirds

15.8

4592

3448

1080/60i

21.0

10.6

667

56

Panasonic G3

Panasonic G10

Four Thirds

12.0

4000

3000

720/30p

21.2

10.1

411

52

Panasonic G10

Panasonic GH2

Four Thirds

15.9

4608

3456

1080/60i

21.2

11.3

655

60

Panasonic GH2

Panasonic GH1

Four Thirds

12.0

4000

3000

1080/24p

21.6

11.6

772

64

Panasonic GH1

Panasonic G1

Four Thirds

12.0

4000

3000

none

21.1

10.3

463

53

Panasonic G1

Many modern cameras cannot only take still pictures, but also record videos. Both cameras under consideration have a sensor with sufficiently fast read-out times for moving pictures, but the E-M10 III provides a higher video resolution than the G2. It can shoot video footage at 4K/30p, while the Panasonic is limited to 720/30p.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a variety of features. The two cameras under consideration are similar with respect to both having an electronic viewfinder.
However, the one in the E-M10 III offers a substantially higher resolution than the one in the G2 (2360k vs 1440k dots). The following table reports on some other key feature differences and similarities of the Olympus E-M10 III, the Panasonic G2, and comparable cameras.

Core Features

Camera Model

Viewfinder (Type or '000 dots)

Control Panel (yes/no)

LCD Size (inch)

LCD Resolution ('000 dots)

LCD Attach- ment

Touch Screen (yes/no)

Mech Shutter Speed

Shutter Flaps (1/sec)

Built-in Flash (yes/no)

Built-in Image Stab

Camera Model

Olympus E-M10 III

2360

n

3.0

1040

tilting

Y

1/4000s

8.6

Y

Y

Olympus E-M10 III

Panasonic G2

1440

n

3.0

460

swivel

Y

1/4000s

2.6

Y

n

Panasonic G2

Olympus E-PL10

none

n

3.0

1040

tilting

Y

1/4000s

8.6

Y

Y

Olympus E-PL10

Olympus E-PL9

none

n

3.0

1040

tilting

Y

1/4000s

8.6

Y

Y

Olympus E-PL9

Olympus E-PL8

none

n

3.0

1037

tilting

Y

1/4000s

8.0

n

Y

Olympus E-PL8

Olympus PEN-F

2360

n

3.0

1037

swivel

Y

1/8000s

10.0

n

Y

Olympus PEN-F

Olympus E-M10 II

2360

n

3.0

1040

tilting

Y

1/4000s

8.0

Y

Y

Olympus E-M10 II

Olympus E-M10

1440

n

3.0

1037

tilting

Y

1/4000s

8.0

Y

Y

Olympus E-M10

Olympus E-PL7

optional

n

3.0

1037

tilting

Y

1/4000s

8.0

n

Y

Olympus E-PL7

Olympus E-PL6

optional

n

3.0

460

tilting

Y

1/4000s

8.0

n

Y

Olympus E-PL6

Olympus E-PL5

optional

n

3.0

460

tilting

Y

1/4000s

8.0

n

Y

Olympus E-PL5

Panasonic GX85

2765

n

3.0

1040

tilting

Y

1/4000s

8.0

Y

Y

Panasonic GX85

Panasonic G3

1440

n

3.0

460

swivel

Y

1/4000s

4.0

Y

n

Panasonic G3

Panasonic G10

202

n

3.0

460

fixed

n

1/4000s

2.6

Y

n

Panasonic G10

Panasonic GH2

1534

n

3.0

460

swivel

n

1/4000s

3.0

Y

n

Panasonic GH2

Panasonic GH1

1440

n

3.0

460

swivel

n

1/4000s

3.0

Y

n

Panasonic GH1

Panasonic G1

1440

n

3.0

460

swivel

n

1/4000s

3.0

Y

n

Panasonic G1

One feature that differentiates the E-M10 III and the G2 is in-body image stabilization (IBIS).
The E-M10 III reduces the risk of handshake-induced blur with all attached lenses, while the G2 has to rely on optical image stabilization
in OIS-equipped lenses to achieve the same effect.

The G2 has an articulated screen that can be turned to be front-facing. This characteristic will be appreciated by
vloggers and photographers who are interested in taking selfies. In contrast, the E-M10 III does not have a selfie-screen.

The reported shutter speed information refers to the use of the mechanical shutter. Yet, some cameras only have an electronic shutter, while
others have an electronic shutter in addition to a mechanical one. In fact, the E-M10 III is one of those camera that have an additional
electronic shutter, which makes completely silent shooting possible. However, this mode is less suitable for photographing moving objects (risk of rolling shutter) or
shooting under artificial light sources (risk of flickering).

The Olympus E-M10 III has an intervalometer built-in. This enables the photographer to
capture time lapse sequences, such as flower blooming, a sunset or moon rise, without purchasing an external camera trigger and related software.

Concerning the storage of imaging data, both the E-M10 III and the G2 write their files to SDXC cards. The E-M10 III supports UHS-II cards (Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 312 MB/s), while the G2 cannot take advantage of Ultra High Speed SD cards.

Connectivity comparison

For some imaging applications, the extent to which a camera can communicate with its environment can be an important aspect in the camera decision process. The table below provides an overview of the connectivity of the Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark III and Panasonic Lumix DMC-G2 and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

Input-Output Connections

Camera Model

Hotshoe Port

Internal Microphone

Internal Speaker

Microphone Port

Headphone Port

HDMI Port

USB Port

WiFi Support

NFC Support

Bluetooth Support

Camera Model

Olympus E-M10 III

Y

stereo

mono

-

-

micro

2.0

Y

-

-

Olympus E-M10 III

Panasonic G2

Y

stereo

mono

-

-

mini

2.0

-

-

-

Panasonic G2

Olympus E-PL10

Y

stereo

mono

-

-

micro

2.0

Y

-

Y

Olympus E-PL10

Olympus E-PL9

Y

stereo

mono

-

-

micro

2.0

Y

-

Y

Olympus E-PL9

Olympus E-PL8

Y

stereo

mono

-

-

micro

2.0

Y

-

-

Olympus E-PL8

Olympus PEN-F

Y

stereo

mono

-

-

micro

2.0

Y

-

-

Olympus PEN-F

Olympus E-M10 II

Y

stereo

mono

-

-

micro

2.0

Y

-

-

Olympus E-M10 II

Olympus E-M10

Y

stereo

mono

-

-

micro

2.0

Y

-

-

Olympus E-M10

Olympus E-PL7

Y

stereo

mono

-

-

micro

2.0

Y

-

-

Olympus E-PL7

Olympus E-PL6

Y

stereo

mono

-

-

mini

2.0

-

-

-

Olympus E-PL6

Olympus E-PL5

Y

stereo

mono

-

-

mini

2.0

-

-

-

Olympus E-PL5

Panasonic GX85

Y

stereo

mono

-

-

micro

2.0

Y

-

-

Panasonic GX85

Panasonic G3

Y

stereo

mono

-

-

mini

2.0

-

-

-

Panasonic G3

Panasonic G10

Y

mono

none

-

-

mini

2.0

-

-

-

Panasonic G10

Panasonic GH2

Y

stereo

mono

Y

-

mini

2.0

-

-

-

Panasonic GH2

Panasonic GH1

Y

stereo

none

Y

-

mini

2.0

-

-

-

Panasonic GH1

Panasonic G1

Y

none

none

-

-

mini

2.0

-

-

-

Panasonic G1

It is notable that the E-M10 III offers wifi support, while the G2 does not.
Wifi can be a very convenient means to transfer image data to an off-camera location.

The E-M10 III is a recent model that features in the current product line-up of Olympus.
In contrast, the G2 has been discontinued (but it can be found pre-owned on eBay). As a replacement in the same line of cameras, the G2 was succeeded by the Panasonic G3. Further information on the two cameras (e.g. user guides, manuals), as well as related accessories, can be found on the official
Olympus and Panasonic websites.

Review summary

So how do things add up? Which of the two cameras – the Olympus E-M10 III or the Panasonic G2 – has the upper hand? Is one clearly better than the other? The listing below highlights the relative strengths of the two models.

More modern: Reflects 7 years and 5 months of technical progress since the G2 launch.

Arguments in favor of the Panasonic Lumix DMC-G2:

Better moiré control: Has an anti-alias filter to avoid artificial patterns to appear in images.

Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.70x vs 0.62x).

More flexible LCD: Has a swivel screen for odd-angle shots in portrait or landscape orientation.

More selfie-friendly: Has an articulated screen that can be turned to be front-facing.

More heavily discounted: Has been around for much longer (launched in March 2010).

If the count of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a measure, the E-M10 III is the clear winner of the match-up (12 : 5 points). However, the pertinence of the various camera strengths will differ across photographers, so that you might want to weigh individual camera traits according to their importance for your own imaging needs before making a camera decision. A professional wildlife photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges
from the perspective of a family photog, and a person interested in architecture has distinct needs from a sports shooter. Hence, the decision which camera
is best and worth buying is often a very personal one.

E-M10 III 12:05 G2

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Olympus E-M10 III and the Panasonic G2 place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest
Best Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera listing whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.

In any case, while the comparison of technical specifications can provide a useful overview of the capabilities of different cameras, it says little about, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance of the E-M10 III and the G2 in practical situations. At times, user reviews, such as those published at amazon, address these issues in a useful manner, but such feedback is on many occasions incomplete, inconsistent, and unreliable.

Expert reviews

This is where reviews by experts come in. The adjacent summary-table relays the overall verdicts of several of the most popular camera review sites (cameralabs, dpreview, ephotozine, imaging-resource, and photographyblog). As can be seen, the professional reviewers agree in many cases on the quality of different cameras, but sometimes their assessments diverge,
reinforcing the earlier point that a camera decision is often a very personal choice.

The above review scores should be interpreted with care, though. The assessments were made in relation to similar cameras of the same technological generation. Thus, a score needs to be put into the context of the launch date and the launch price of the camera, and comparisons of ratings among very different cameras or across long time periods have little meaning. Also, kindly note that some of the listed sites have over time developped their review approaches and their reporting style.

Other camera comparisons

Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? If you would like to see a different side-by-side camera review, just make a corresponding selection in the search boxes below. As an alternative, you can also directly jump to any one of the listed comparisons that were previously generated by the CAM-parator tool.